The 76ers center will return to action Sunday night against the Atlanta Hawks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. This comes after the 7-foot-2, 280-pounder missed nine consecutive games because of knee injuries.
He sat out the Sixers’ previous eight games because of right knee injury management or soreness. Embiid’s availability comes after initially being listed as out on Saturday’s 5:30 p.m. injury report.
The 2023 MVP was upgraded to questionable on Sunday’s 12:30 p.m. report before being cleared to play before the game.
Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain) will also return to action against the Hawks after missing the last three games. And center Andre Drummond (sprained right knee) was available after being injured in Friday’s 115-103 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center.
Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) will remain sidelined.
Sixers Joel Embiid hits a shot in the first half of the Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers NBA game at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025.
Before missing the last eight games due to right knee injury, he also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.
Embiid has already missed 12 of the Sixers’ 18 games because of his knee ailments. He is averaging 19.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 23.3 minutes.
The seven-time All-Star had his best game of the season in his last matchup, a 130-120 home victory against the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 8. Embiid finished with 29 points on 10-for-16 shooting, along with making 8 of 9 free throws. He also had six rebounds, four assists, and one block while logging a season-high 25 minutes, 57 seconds.
Returning from a productive four-game road trip and with a six-game homestand beginning on Monday, the Flyers placed Adam Ginning on waivers on Sunday.
To be placed on waivers, the defenseman was first recalled from his conditioning loan to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League, which began on Nov. 18. Conditioning loans are for 14 days, with the player remaining on the active 23-man roster.
By placing Ginning on waivers, it opens up a roster spot for the Flyers, and, not that he needed any more confirmation, but it’s pretty clear Emil Andrae is sticking around for the long haul.
After some movement between Philly and Allentown, as one of three players on the roster who are waiver exempt — Nikita Grebenkin and Matvei Michkov are the other two — Andrae has been back with the Flyers since Nov. 3. He has played in every game since, and with each passing day, has garnered more responsibilities from the coaching staff.
Originally on the third pairing, he is now alongside Jamie Drysdale on the second unit. According to Natural Stat Trick, since becoming partners during the Flyers’ 3-2 overtime win against the St. Louis Blues on Nov. 20, they have played 85:28 together and have been on the ice for five Flyers goals for and four against.
In the past eight games, Andrae’s ice time has jumped, and he is averaging 18 minutes, 45 seconds. It is the fourth-most on the team, behind defensemen Travis Sanheim, Cam York, and Drysdale, as he has also been getting time on the power play and in overtime. Across 14 games this season, he has one goal and five assists with a plus-minus of plus-4.
Flyers defenseman Emil Andrae is averaging 18 minutes, 45 seconds per game, the fourth-most on the team.
Since being loaned, Ginning has played in five games with the Phantoms, registering one assist, five shots on goal, and a minus-2. The Swede, who turns 26 in January, made the Flyers out of training camp and played five games this season on the third pair. He averaged 15:20, and although he did not register a point, he did have two shots on goal. At the time of his loan to Lehigh Valley, he was one of 11 skaters with at least an even plus-minus (minimum five games played).
There is a chance the Swede could be snagged on the waiver wire. A big blueliner at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Ginning is a defensive defenseman who will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Drafted by the Flyers in the second round of the 2018 draft, he has 16 NHL games under his belt, with one goal scored during the 2023-24 season.
A member of the Eagles’ front office staff will be joining a college football program.
Eagles senior personnel director/advisor to the general manager Dave Caldwell will become the University of Florida’s college football general manager, per multiple reports. On3.com first reported the news.
Caldwell will join the staff of Jon Sumrall, the Tulane coach that multiple outlets reported is finalizing a deal to take over the Gators program.
Caldwell joined the Eagles in 2021 after an eight-year stint as general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He spent time with the Atlanta Falcons (2008-12), Indianapolis Colts (1998-07) and the Carolina Panthers (1996-97) prior to to his Jaguars tenure.
With name, image and likeness realities and the transfer portal taking over college athletics, Power Four programs have increasingly sought dedicated general managers with the experience to handle the acquisition and compensation details of players.
NEWARK, N.J. — The calendar is set to turn to December, and while some will say it is too early to look at the standings, it doesn’t hurt to peek. Right?
Right.
Because the Flyers are not only in a playoff spot, but third in the Metropolitan Division. Entering Sunday, they sit two points ahead of the second wild-card team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, whom they play on Monday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena (7 p.m., NBCSP).
And in a tight division, they are just two points behind the leaders, the New Jersey Devils, a team they have beaten twice in a week. The latest was a 5-3 victory in Newark on Saturday night. It closed out a four-game road trip with a pretty solid-looking 3-1-0 record, including the first win on the second night of a back-to-back this season.
Here are two big things we learned from the Snowbird connection trip that saw the Flyers go from sunny Florida to the New York metro area.
I’ve been the teacher
There are different ways of coaching. Some coaches can be fiery and use that to spark their team. Other coaches, like Rick Tocchet, appear to maintain a cool, calming presence — unless, for example, one needs to yell at the referees, which seems warranted lately for the Flyers.
Watching the bench, Tocchet seems levelheaded. The owner now of 300 wins in the NHL after Saturday night, he knows it is just 24 games into the season, and there’s a long road ahead. And although every moment is important, he doesn’t get too wrapped up in the ups and downs and momentum shifts of every game.
Sure, he may have been spotted by the TV cameras saying a choice word or two when an unsuspecting Emil Andrae turned the puck over to Kyle Palmieri in Friday night’s shootout win against the New York Islanders — on a goal that actually should have been overturned for too-many men on the ice — but he wasn’t being demonstrative with his body language.
But he didn’t bench Andrae, who finished the night with the third-most minutes, with an overtime shift. It’s important for a young team to have a coach who keeps his cool and lets them learn and grow from their mistakes.
Plus, it helps that Tocchet is a guy who loves to teach. Instead of going crazy and yelling or benching players, he either talks things over or pulls out the whiteboard to show them. As Jon Cooper, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Hockey Canada coach who worked with Tocchet at 4 Nations and will do so again at the Olympics, told The Inquirer on Monday, Tocchet is known for his in-game adjustments.
His adjustments and demeanor are translating to the ice as the players are playing connected but loose.
“The one thing I love with this group is they always want to learn, whether we win or lose, or it’s a bad period, it’s a good period, they’re asking questions,” Tocchet said. “They’re trying to learn. And that’s what we’re doing every day, and trying to build some blocks here.”
Brick by brick is the motto right now. After a dismal performance against the Lightning to start the trip — they were shut out for the first time this season — Trevor Zegras said the group held a meeting “on things that we wanted to do to get better, to play tighter, to play more connected, and I think the last three we did that.”
Coach Rick Tocchet speaks to Travis Sanheim after Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson scored a power-play goal on Nov. 15.
Learning is critical for a team that boasts one of the youngest rosters in the NHL at an average age of 27. Although they’ve scored the first goal now for two straight games, they’ve won nine of 16 games where they’ve trailed early. They lead the league with 10 comeback wins, including a 4-2 win against the two-time defending champion Florida Panthers on Thanksgiving Eve, and they are 7-3-3 in one-goal games.
Tocchet sees positives and steps forward in his group. They are much better at executing under pressure. Do they need to clean up some things? All teams do, but “whether we’re battling back, or we’re giving up leads, there’s not a lot of panic on the bench. There’s a lot of resolve,” he said.
And that starts from the top.
I’ll Be There For You
The last two seasons, there’s been talk about how tight the Flyers locker room is. It’s still tight, but now the words family and love are being used more and more often.
And it’s showing on the ice with how they are playing. Alternate captain Travis Konecny has spoken often about the little details in the game that players are doing that are actually critical to success.
Before the goal that was eventually credited to Matvei Michkov to make it 3-1 — Konecny took the shot, and it went in off the Russian winger in front — captain Sean Couturier threw a hit on Devils forward Paul Cotter in the defensive zone. It allowed the Flyers to get possession and skate out of their end. Just 27 seconds later, after some sustained pressure, the puck was behind Jacob Markstrom.
“That’s the stuff I’m talking about. When it’s your turn, it’s your turn,” Konecny said. “And I think that’s something that Tocc’s been preaching a lot. [Tyson Foerster is tied for] the most goals on our team right now, and this guy blocks a shot every other game, and he’s a competitor.
“Like those are the examples right there of guys that, you just show up for your teammates and whatever your job is, in that moment, that play, that game, you execute it to the best of your abilities. And if everyone does that over the course of 82 games, you would think it’d put us in a pretty good spot.”
The Flyers are getting some pretty balanced scoring right now. Across the four-game road trip, 11 players recorded at least a point, and while Noah Cates did not, he still boasted an impressive plus-minus of plus-3.
Michkov led the way with three goals and tied Owen Tippett — who notched the 100th goal, 100th assist, and, therefore, 200th point, of his NHL career — atop the leaderboard with four points. The pairing of Andrae and Jamie Drysdale may have had a few hiccups, but they are rounding into form. Couturier snapped a long goal drought with a pair of goals, Foerster continues to impress with his 200-foot game that more often than not sees the puck find the back of the net, and Nikita Grebenkin played in three games.
“We’re all contributing in different ways. And if it’s your turn to be on the score sheet, that’s what you do. If it’s your turn to have a big block or big save from the goalies, like everyone’s just stepping up,” added Konecny, who noted the leadership in the room, too, like when veteran defenseman Nick Seeler spoke up during intermission on Saturday about the importance of points now for down the road.
“We love this group. It’s a lot of guys that just want to play for each other and do the right things.”
Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar has been one of the best players on the roster.
Among NHL goalies with a minimum of 12 games, he ranks tied for sixth in wins (10) with guys like former Flyers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who he just bested on Wednesday, sixth in goals-against average (2.43), and tied for seventh in save percentage (. 912). And according to Money Puck, his goals saved above expected ranks seventh in the NHL at 11.3.
But, of course, while he said he worked on his lateral plays — like when he robbed Nico Hischier with 16 seconds left in the first period backdoor off a cross-crease pass during a penalty assessed to Michkov — the netminder will give credit to his team.
“I feel comfortable overall, but it’s also the biggest thing is those … 18 to 20 guys that are playing in front of me every single night,” the Czech goalie said. “You see [that] guys are willing to block shots, making not comfortable plays but those plays that really matter for our team to come [away] with those two points.
“So very proud of the group, but we know that we got a lot of hockey left, so got to keep going for sure.”
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Penn State fans flocked into SHI Stadium on Saturday for their team’s season finale, many repping the school’s blue and white colors as they led “We Are” chants through the stadium’s concourse.
But several of their sweatshirts and signs did not contain the iconic Nittany Lions logo or traditional “We Are” motto. Many were instead etched with “Hire Terry Smith” as Penn State (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) earned a 40-36 win over Rutgers (5-7, 2-7) to finish the season on a three-game winning streak.
It was a small peek into a game with bowl eligibility on the line where the aftermath seemed bigger than the final score, at least for one side. It showcased the uncertainty surrounding the Nittany Lions’ program — one in search of a new head coach for the first time since 2014.
This season Penn State fired its long-time head coach, lost its star quarterback to a season-ending injury and endured a six-game losing streak, but still managed to extend its bowl streak to five seasons. At the forefront of that turnaround was interim head coach Terry Smith, whose passion and honesty galvanized a reeling program.
“Terry’s swag, the way he approaches things, brought the fun back to [the game],” said Kaytron Allen, who rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown against the Scarlet Knights. “I appreciate Coach Terry. I hope he is the next head coach [at Penn State].”
As Allen exited the field, he found athletic director Patrick Kraft, showed him a “Hire Terry Smith” sign and said, “You see this?” Kraft nodded his head, acknowledging not only Allen’s message but also the tough decision that lay ahead of him.
Smith believes the respect he has throughout the program, his ownership of the locker room and his pedigree on the recruiting trail make him the best candidate for the job — a desire he made known in recent weeks. His players agree, specifically Allen and the entire starting offensive line, who again lobbied for Smith to become the program’s next coach following Saturday’s win.
Penn State Nittany Lions interim coach Terry Smith has expressed interest in becoming head coach.
With Early National Signing Day scheduled for Wednesday and a looming transfer portal window, Kraft has to make a decision soon. Who he names 17th head coach in Penn State history holds major implications inside the Lasch Building.
But not for Smith, who remained grounded Saturday. The 56-year-old expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve as head coach at his alma mater, the university he spent four seasons at as a player and 12 more as a coach.
“I’m just thankful we won the game, thankful for these guys that played their hearts out,” Smith said. “We are bowl eligible. The guys really wanted that. I’m looking forward to playing in a bowl game.”
An uncertain future
It is not unusual for college football players to opt out of bowl games. And it is especially not atypical for players to do so after a program fires the head coach who recruited them.
That means, despite Penn State securing bowl eligibility Saturday with its sixth victory of the season, it is not a given that the team will participate. And judging by the mixed reaction from its players, they also do not know what the future holds.
“We’re not sure yet. We’ll see what happens,” left guard Olaivavega Ioane said when asked about his desire to play in a bowl game.
“We literally just finished a game. I’m seeing [the media] before I see my Mom, so we’re not sure yet,” center Nick Dawkins said.
Andrew Rappleyea, Penn State’s tight end who caught a 53-yard touchdown pass to tie the contest in the opening quarter, said he had no idea what the following days or weeks would hold. He wanted to live in the moment and enjoy the victory.
Allen, who Saturday became the first Penn State player to eclipse 4,000 career rushing yards, shared that approach.
“I’m just trying to take this game in, one game at a time,” Allen said. “We just got out of the game, so I’m not thinking about that. We got a win, [and] that’s all that matters.”
Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen ran for 226 yards and a touchdown.
Not every Penn State player was indecisive about their bowl game intentions.
Dominic DeLuca, Penn State’s redshirt senior linebacker, fought through tears following the Nittany Lions’ 37-10 victory over Nebraska last weekend as he shared what the program meant to him. He thanked Smith for “putting the pieces back together” and bringing Penn State football back to life.
And on Saturday, his passion for Penn State again showed as he took a different approach than his teammates. Bottom line: If there is a bowl game, DeLuca will be ready to play.
“I would do anything to play one more game with these guys,” DeLuca said. “It’s no question for me. I’ll be playing with [my teammates] no matter what.”
Even at age 99, the Palestra still sees rare moments.
Saturday’s Penn-La Salle game marked the first time since the 2001-02 season that two teams formally in the Big 5 faced off in a regular-season nonconference game that didn’t count in the city standings.
When the tournament format started, five teams finally grew to six with Drexel’s inclusion. They agreed that they could schedule matchups outside the tournament pods, as long as they were willing to potentially meet again in the Big 5 Classic triple-header.
It didn’t happen in the tournament’s first two seasons, but it made sense that it would happen at some point. Scheduling nonconference games only ever gets harder for teams outside the elite, and Penn had room to fill in its Cathedral Classic four-team event on Thanksgiving weekend.
La Salle answered the call this season, while Fran Dunphy was still in charge on Olney Ave., and his close friend Steve Donahue was still in charge on 33rd Street. Their successors, Darris Nichols and Fran McCaffery, didn’t mind keeping the matchup when they took the jobs in the spring.
So there they were, staying in town for the holiday weekend, with Merrimack and Hofstra joining the field. The stands were far from filled, but there was some life in them — and there was lots of life on the court in Penn’s 73-71 win.
La Salle gave a great effort, earning a 44-38 halftime lead as much by outhustling Penn as by outscoring them. Though the Quakers shot 53.8% from the field in the frame, the Explorers outrebounded them at both ends of the floor to produce a 21-14 margin on the glass.
“We were just getting destroyed on the glass in the first half,” McCaffery said. “You can’t win basketball games like that. Give them credit for the energy level that they played with.”
La Salle’s Josiah Harris beats Penn’s Ethan Roberts (center) and Augustus Gerhart to the rim during Saturday’s first half.
In the second half, the Explorers grew their lead to 55-41 with 15 minutes, 21 seconds remaining, and it was 60-47 with 12:26 to go. From there, star transfer TJ Power and freshman Jay Jones led the big comeback. The Quakers edged ahead 68-66 with 3:56 left, and held on despite missing enough free throws for the Explorers to stay within one possession through the final seconds.
At the buzzer, it felt every bit like a Big 5 game even though it wasn’t one.
“I think you could see the intensity level displayed by both teams and that’s a credit to the individuals but also the coaching staffs for both programs,” McCaffery said. “The crowd was into it and was really good, and I think from that standpoint it makes great sense to do it.”
Power made his latest big impression with a game-high 29 points, including five three-pointers in the second half. But he said he was “most proud of” the mental side of the comeback.
2H (10:49) | La Salle 60, Penn 53
Turnovers leading to triples. All five buckets this half are from distance and TJ has four of them. TIME OUT, EXPLORERS!!#FightOnPenn 🔴🔵🏀 pic.twitter.com/qJsk1Z22oQ
“We work really hard on building our identity to be a winning team,” he said. “When we went down 14, all we were saying in the huddle is, like, ‘We win basketball games — there’s no doubt about that.’ We just knew we had to get stops, we made some adjustments on defense and then we got some momentum on offense.”
Jones’ role came after he subbed in for starting point guard AJ Levine with 12:09 to go, with Levine out of gas. Jones did not leave the court for the rest of the night, tallying seven points, two rebounds, one assist, and two steals in that span.
McCaffery said Jones’ work in practices against the starters earned the opportunity, and praised him for seizing it.
“He’s just been really good,” McCaffery said. “His attitude is great. He’s just a freshman, so it takes time, but he was really special tonight and I’m not surprised.”
Jay Jones (right) celebrates with TJ Power (center) after the final buzzer.
Nichols was understandably in a less happy mood, having been on the receiving end of it all. But the Explorers are clearly making progress, no matter their record.
“I don’t know if things are on the up — I’m down right now,” he said. But he quickly added it was easy to be “a prisoner of the moment, especially after wins and losses, and I tell my guys all the time the season’s long.”
He will no doubt take his own advice as he teaches it to his players.
“You can be poisoned by accomplishment, you can be down in the valley of disappointment, and both of them are bad,” Nichols said. “Just trying to understand that we’ve got to continue to get better, we’ve got to get some guys healthy, we’ve got to get guys playing better, and we’re just going to continue to work.”
After the 76ers battled back from a 19-point second-half deficit to beat the Washington Wizards in the fourth game of the season, Tyrese Maxey was asked what the overtime win says about him and his teammates.
“It says that we are tough,” Maxey said. “But we don’t want it to become a habit. But it does say that we are tough. We’re resilient, and it says we are in shape, honestly, because to be able to play like that, come back, and do it multiple times, like go into overtime off a back-to-back and still pull out a win.”
At the time, the Sixers’ 139-134 overtime road victory on Oct. 28 came one day after they defeated the Orlando Magic, 136-124, at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Their other two games resulted in comeback victories over the Boston Celtics and the Charlotte Hornets. The Sixers were 4-0 for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
With grit, athleticism, and a refuse-to-lose mentality, the Sixers showed no resemblance to last season’s 2024-25 squad. Joel Embiid’s knee issues were believed to be manageable, and Paul George’s season debut was imminent.
So we thought.
Now, we must ask ourselves: Was the Sixers’ impressive start just a mirage?
Since winning its first four games, the squad has lost eight of 14 contests. The Sixers (10-8) are eighth in the Eastern Conference standings.
They avoided losing a third consecutive game by defeating the struggling Brooklyn Nets, 115-103, at the Barclays Center on Friday. Now, they’ll look to win consecutive games for the first time since the season-opening winning streak when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday.
Like last season, injuries, primarily to Embiid and George, have been the biggest thing holding them back. Having the two maximum-salary players sidelined forces role players to perform well above their pay grade.
“Well, listen, I think that, a little bit like I said a year ago, I think that we need them to be the best version of ourselves,” coach Nick Nurse said before the Sixers snapped their two-game skid on Friday. “That’s for sure. The concern levels hit me, obviously, when they’re not playing. But now, when we’re missing three or four other guys out of the rotation, [it gets harder]. I think we’re probably thinking about a nine-man rotation, and that’s when it’s getting a little tough.”
Nurse has a point. Two other starters, Kelly Oubre Jr. (sprained left knee) and VJ Edgecombe (left calf strain), and reserve forward Trendon Watford (left adductor strain) have been sidelined. Center Andre Drummond, who started the past nine games in place of Embiid, suffered a game-ending sprained right knee on Friday. Edgecombe and Drummond are questionable to return against the Hawks (12-8).
Sixers forward Paul George dribbles the basketball past Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo on last Sunday.
But the Sixers have more than $300 million owed to Embiid and George over the next three seasons, beginning next season. That’s a massive investment in two players, who, like last season, have been unable to stay on the court.
George played in just his fourth game on Friday, finishing with 14 points and two steals in 21 minutes, 21 seconds after missing Tuesday’s 144-103 setback to the Magic with a sprained right ankle.
The nine-time All-Star missed the first 12 games while recovering from left knee surgery. Then he sat out Nov. 19’s 121-112 loss to the Toronto Raptors because he isn’t cleared to compete on both nights of a back-to-back.
Meanwhile, Embiid will miss his 10th consecutive game on Sunday because of knee injuries. He’ll miss his ninth straight because of right knee injury management or soreness. Embiid also missed the Sixers’ 111-108 home loss to the Detroit Pistons on Nov. 9 because he doesn’t play on back-to-back nights to rest his left knee.
At this point, Embiid has been available for six of the Sixers’ first 18 games.
A season ago, Embiid played in only four of the first 18 contests en route to making just 19 total appearances. Meanwhile, George was further along, playing in nine contests. He ended up playing in 41.
When he does play, George has shown signs of being a solid piece for the Sixers.
He scored his team’s first 11 points before becoming more of a facilitator and defensive standout, as Maxey finished with a career-high 54 points in a 123-114 overtime road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Nov. 20.
Right now, however, he’s playing short stints while on a minutes restriction.
“It’s difficult,” George said. “I mean, it’s difficult knowing, to start the game off, how long you’ll be out there. But then, as the game goes on, you’re like, subconsciously counting how much time you’ve got left. So it’s tough. It’s a challenge, especially trying to find rhythm, try to stay in rhythm, and try to just be consistent with the time that you’re out for it.”
Paul George and Joel Embiid look on during the first quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at Wells Fargo Center.
But for now, Maxey is carrying the bulk of the load while Embiid and George are dealing with injuries. That’s no different from last season until he, too, succumbed to injuries.
Maxey is averaging a league-leading 40 minutes per game. One has to wonder if the Sixers are relying too much on him because of his fellow maximum-salary teammates’ lack of availability.
One also has to wonder how much, under the circumstances, relying heavily on Edgecombe and Oubre may have contributed to their injuries.
Despite being a rookie, Edgecombe was third in the league in minutes played at 37.3. Meanwhile, Oubre averaged 36.7 minutes through his first 11 games. He played just 14:56 before exiting at halftime in his 12th and latest appearance.
Yes, the Sixers showed resilience at the beginning of the season that captivated the city.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey meets with teammate center Joel Embiid after the Sixers beat the Orlando Magic, 136-124, on Oct. 27.
But, so far, after the hot start, Embiid and George’s lack of availability has made things reminiscent of last season’s teams. Back then, the Sixers spent most of the season battling for an NBA Play-In tourney spot before opting to tank.
Things could change for the Sixers, especially if the duo spends a substantial amount of time on the court moving forward.
But at this moment, this season has 2024-25 vibes.
NEWARK, N.J. — The Flyers closed out a four-game road trip with win No. 3, defeating the New Jersey Devils, 5-3.
After losing 3-0 to the Tampa Bay Lightning to start the road trip on Monday, the Flyers closed it out with three straight wins. Philly has now won five of its last six and is 14-7-3 on the season.
Owen Tippett scored the 100th goal of his NHL career and earned his 200th NHL point when he gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead just 5 minutes, 18 seconds into the first period. The goal showed off some silky hands as he caught the pass from Christian Dvorak on his forehand and scored on a backhand.
The goal was Tippett’s second in the past 17 games, and his eighth of the season.
Šimon Nemec tied the game up later in the first period on a one-timer from between the circles. It was a bit of a wonky play as the Flyers seemed to be in control after an offensive-zone faceoff, but the puck ended up bouncing at the blue line and off the body of Travis Sanheim.
The Devils broke out three across as Sean Couturier lost his stick after it hit Bobby Brink, who got back to even up the numbers. Nemec trailed the play and was open to receive the pass from Jesper Bratt for his sixth of the year.
But in the second period, the Flyers scored a trio of goals.
Matvei Michkov took a cross-checking penalty with 75 seconds left in the opening frame. When his penalty expired in the second period, he left the box and right into a two-on-one with Travis Konecny.
Sanheim fed his buddy from deep in the Flyers zone up the wing with just Nemec back. Konecny got the puck over, and Michkov, despite Devils captain Nico Hischier on him, put the puck on net, and it slid past goalie Jacob Markstrom. The goal was Michkov’s seventh of the season and sixth in the past 11.
Michkov was credited with another goal less than 3 minutes later, when a shot by Konecny went off him in front. Cam York skated away from New Jersey winger Stefan Noesen at the blue line and dished the puck on the backhand to Konecny, who fired the one-timer. Couturier and Michkov were in front, creating traffic with two defenders.
It is the Russian winger’s first multi-goal game since the 2024-25 season finale.
Later in the period, Zegras gave the Flyers a 4-1 lead with a one-timer off a nice feed from Tippett, who broke out of the Flyers’ zone with the puck and took off down the left wing. His speed led to a two-on-one and finished with a cross-crease pass to Zegras for his ninth goal of the year.
The goal came after Bratt hit the post at the other end on a breakaway. But while Dan Vladař didn’t make the save on that one, he did come up big despite allowing three goals.
With 16 seconds left in the first period, he robbed Hischier backdoor off a cross-crease pass during Michkov’s penalty. In the middle frame, again with the Flyers shorthanded, he stoned Dawson Mercer on another two-on-one.
Vladař did eventually allow a power-play goal to Timo Meier with 27 seconds left in the second period. And in the third period, Mercer scored to cut it to a one-goal game.
But it was Markstrom who made the most spectacular save of the night as he robbed Noah Cates with the glove during an odd-man rush with 3 minutes, 26 seconds left.
Tippett was credited with a goal with 1:15 remaining when he was tripped by Arseny Gritsyuk on a breakaway with Markstrom pulled for the extra attacker. It was his second multigoal game of the season, the last coming on Oct. 20 against the Seattle Kraken, and he now has eight goals on the year.
Forward Nic Deslauriers and defenseman Noah Juulsen were the healthy scratches. … Vladař finished with 28 saves, and the Flyers put 32 shots on Markstrom.
Up next
The Flyers return home to host the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday (7 p.m., NBCSP).
Kaytron Allen ran for a career-high 226 yards and a touchdown as Penn State beat Rutgers 40-36 for the 18th straight time to become bowl eligible after a tumultuous season.
The Nittany Lions (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) retook the lead for good when linebacker Amare Campbell raced 61 yards with a fumble with 7 minutes, 27 seconds to play. Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis lost the ball without being touched.
Rutgers (5-7, 2-7 Big Ten) had moved ahead 36-33 early in the fourth quarter on a 46-yard TD pass from Kaliakmanis to Antwan Raymond. Raymond ran for 189 yards, and Kaliakmanis passed for 338 yards and three TDs. With the loss, the Scarlet Knights will miss the postseason for the first time since 2022.
Penn State hasn’t missed a bowl game since 2020 when the non-College Football Playoff bowl games were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Nicholas Singleton broke ties with Saquon Barkley to claim the school career rushing TD record with his 44th and 45th, career total touchdowns at 55 and all-purpose yards with 5,586.
After losing to Notre Dame in the semifinals of the CFP last season, the expectations for Penn State were high. The Nittany Lions began the season ranked No. 2 and were led by quarterback Drew Allar, who was headed for a Heisman-caliber season before a season-ending leg injury in Week Six against Northwestern.
The following day coach James Franklin was fired after Penn State lost its first three Big Ten games, including back-to-back games in which the Nittany Lions were favored by 20-plus points.
Penn State would lose five straight before turning its season around by winning its last three games.
A 29-point night from Penn’s TJ Power pushed the Quakers past Big Five foe La Salle in a 73-71 win in the Cathedral Classic on Saturday.
Power scored 19 of his total in the second half and had six rebounds for the Quakers (5-2). Ethan Roberts shot 3 of 14 from the field, including 1 for 4 from three-point range, and went 5-for-9 from the line to add 12 points. Jay Jones had 7 points and shot 2-of-2 from the field and 2 of 4 from the free-throw line.
Justin Archer finished with 14 points, six rebounds and two steals for the Explorers (3-5). La Salle also got 12 points and four assists from Ashton Walker. Jaeden Marshall had 12 points.
Power scored 10 points in the first half and Penn went into halftime trailing 44-38. Penn trailed by 15 points early in the second half then took the lead on a three-pointer from Ethan Roberts with 4 minutes left.
Both teams are back in action on Sunday in the final day of the Classic with La Salle taking on Merrimack at noon, while Penn closes out with Hofstra at 2:30 p.m.
